New Chrysler 300C closer to showrooms

Good news. Despite Chrysler's dramatic sales slump in Australia – sales so far this year have almost halved – the company's North American headquarters is still alive and engineers are still working on new models.

Indeed, the finishing touches are being put on the second generation Chrysler 300C sedan ahead of its release in North America later this year, and Australia early next year.

But the new model has had a rocky ride just making it this far, and sources have told the Carsales Network that it won't be all-new under the skin.

Instead, it will carry over the underbody of the original 300C released in 2004 which itself was a remake of the old Mercedes-Benz E Class chassis released in 1996.

So, by the time the new model arrives in 2011, much of what underpins the 'new' 300C will in fact be about 15 years old – the equivalent of two lifetimes in the car industry.

Although the front and rear are masked, these images show that Chrysler has retained the 300C's basic structure (roof and door frames), however it has reskinned the doors to better blend with the new look.

The disguise may hide the bold new face and rear end, but images of the 2011 Chrysler 300C were leaked two years ago, when Chrysler submitted an outline of its future models to gain emergency bail-out funds from the US Government as the Global Financial Crisis hit.

It was suspected that someone either at Chrysler or at a government agency leaked the computer generated images onto the web – three years before the car was due to be released.

There will no doubt be a long queue forming for the new car, despite its aging architecture, as it has become a hit with the 'Pimp my Ride' community and car tuners in North America. At a time when many enthusiasts were switching to foreign brands, the 300C made North American cars cool again.

Rap artist Snoop Dog famously left a voicemail message for the then boss of Chrysler, the former Mercedes executive, Dieter Zetsche, when the 300C was revealed in 2004.

In his own unique way, Snoop enquired as to how he might jump the waiting queue: "Yo, what up? This is big Snoop Dogg, trying to put these new legs down for this new 300C. What I gotta do to get that brand new 300 up outta you?" he said to Zetsche, 51, whose first language is German.

He then asked if Zetsche could "get back in contact with my nephew so he can make it happen, then it's official like a referee with a whistle. If you want this car to blow, give it to me. This is Snoop Dogg. Preach."

Once Chrysler officials interpreted the message they allegedly did a deal with the rap artist.

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